Adjustable oil outlet



Aug. 6, 1929. w. s. MONTGOMERY 1,723,197

ADJUSTABLE OIL OUTLET Filed June 16,. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l g- 1929- w.S MONTGOMERY 1,723,197

ADJUSTABLE OIL OUTLET Filed June 16, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug.6, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ADJUSTABLE Application filed June 16,

My invention relates to adjust-able outlets for tanks and the like,-andparticularly to one which is especially adaptable for crude oil stocktanks into which the oil is pumped either directly or-indirectly fromthe wells.

Oil as pumped from the wells contains,in addition to the merchantablecrude oil,water and sediment, the latter being known in the industry asB. S. (basic sediment). The water and B. S. settles to the bottom of thestock tank, the B. S. floating above the Water. Refining companiesbuying the crude oil connect their lines direct to an outlet pipe of thestock tank which is located at least two inches above the normal B. S.line. Inasmuch as the proportion of B. S. and water in a tank will vary,and also since some refining companies insist that their lines beconnected to the tanks at distances greater than two inches above' theB. S. line,it is the usual practice -to drain oil the water and B. S.through a bottom outlet of the tank so as to bring the B. S. line downto the-required distance below the line of merchantable crude oil andthe refining companys outlet. The thick muggy B. S. is hard to drain outand when attempting to do so, a funnel-shaped hole forms in the B. S.leading to the drain'pipe. The result is that considerable quantity ofthe good merchantable oil runs down this funnelshaped hole, drains outand is lost.

It is, therefore, the primary object of this nvention to overcome thediflic'ulty mentioned and prevent the loss of merchantable crude oil bythe provision of an outlet pipe carried by the tank, and having aportion extending therein which can be readily set to a predeterminedlevel with respect to the B. S. line, thus avoiding the necessity ofdraining of the B. S. to lower it to a desired level.

Another object of the invention is to provide in an oil stock tank, orthe like, an adjustable outlet pipe which can be readily applied, andwherein novel means is provided to prevent leakage at its point ofattachment without however interfering with the free adjustment of thepipe. d

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of an outletpipe as set forth, having means whereby it is prevented from movingbelow a predetermined level.

The invention also has for an object to furnish a novel adjusting meansfor holding the OIL OUTLET.

1927. Serial No. 199,311.

outlet sit-ion.

A still further obect of the invention is to provide an adjustableoutlet pipe, as characterized, having a novel adjustable closure andcontrolling means therefor which may or may not be combined with a meansfor supporting the pipe against movementbelow a predetermined level.

The foregoing and other objects of the invention are attained by meansof a novel combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafterdescribed and claimed and in order that the same may be betterunderstood, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings whichdepict what I now regard as a preferred mechanical expression of theinvention. It is to be understood, however, that many changes andmodifications may be made in the structure shown and described, withouthowever departing'from the spirit and scope of the subject matterclaimed.

In the drawings wherein the same reference characters designate the sameparts in all views,

Figure -1 illustrates the application of my invention to a conventionalstock tank, a portion of which is shown in longitudinal section,theadjustable outlet being shown in end elevation;

Figure 2 is a. view taken at a right angle to Figure 1 from a pointwithin the tank (line 22 Fig. 1) and showing the outlet in sideelevation;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the outlet,on enlarged scale, and showinga portion of the tank wall in section;

Figure 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is view, partl broken and .partly in section,of the end 0 theadjustable outlet pipe and showing a valve 'or closure for its mouthtogether with fragments of the controlling and supporting means of thepipe, and

Figure 6 is a section on the line 66 of F igure 5. 1

Referring specifically to the drawings, 1 denotes the tank, and as shownin Figure 1 pipe in a predetermined elevated pothe water, B S., normaloutlet, and adjusted outlet levels are indicated at A, B, O, and D,respectively.

The outlet pipe 2, to which the refining an enlarged side elevationalcompanys line 2 is adapted to be connected,

is shown threaded or otherwise secured in the neck of a disk-likefitting 4. A lock cock 3 vided with a central hole and an ofiset flange5 extending inwardly as shown to engage the enlarged end 7 of the shortbranch of a substantially L-shaped pipe 7 which is the out-let pipeforming the subject matter of this invention.

The enlarged end 7' of the outlet pipe 7 has an outturned marginalflange 7* at its end which engages the wall of the tank 1 around anoutlet hole 1*- therein. Between the flange 7 a and the inturned outset5 of the fitting 5 is located a rubber washer 6; Between the outer andinner fittings a, 5, are disposed fiber washers 8, 8". "When the twofittings 4, 5, are drawn tightly together by bolts 8 a leak-proofconnection will have been made, the washer 6 being tightly compressedbetween the flanges 5 7. However, it will be understood that the outletpipe 7 is capable of being swung or rotated in its bearing which isprovided by the inner fitting 5.

Again referring to Figure 4 it is observed that the hole 1 in the tankis located at the estimated normal outlet level for the merchantablecrude oil,that is to say two inches above the normal level of B. S.However, as shown in the drawing the level of B. S. is considerablyhigher than usual.

The formation of the outlet pipe 7 will be best understood byexamination of Figures 1, 2, and 3. For in'stance, in order that thepipe 7 may clear the wall of the tank it is provided with anintermediate horizontal bend 7 also as depicted in Figure 2 the outletpipe 7 has a downward bend or oflset 7 so that when the pipe 7 is at itslowermost point of movement the upturned mouth 7 will be in truehorizontal alinement with the bottom of the hole 1" The outlet pipe 7 islimited in downward movement by the prop or support 9 which has asemi-circular oflset 9 adjacent its upper end which is designed toembrace one side of the outlet pipe 7. A semi-circular clamp seg ment 10which is bolted to the support 9 as indicated at 11 serves to rigidlyattach the support 9 to the pipe. in order that the support 9 be heldina set position the pipe 7, as

shown in Figures 5 and 6, is provided at either side with a pair ofspaced ribs 12 which engage the side edges of the clamp 10 and thearcual oflset 9 This prevents axial movement of support 9 and rotativemovement thereof-is prevented by means of a short longitudinal rib 12formed on the pipe and engaging between the upper ends of the clamp 9and supportlO. The upper parallel ends of the clamp 10 and support 9terminate a fairly substantial distance above pipe 7 so as to provide aspace below the upper clamp bolt 11 for the intermediate mounting pin 12which extends through the eyelet of a spring 13, one arm of which bearsagainst the subjacent rib 12 while the other arm is hooked to engage inthe eye in the upper end of one arm of a bell-crank lever 14:, the otherarm of which carries the valve or closure 15 for sealing the mouth 7 ofthe outlet pipe 7. The bellcrank lever 14 is pivoted to the upper clampbolt 11 between the parallel upper ends of the clamp 10 and support 9,as shown. The tendency of spring 13 is to hold the closure 15 open.

As shown the closure 15 comprises inner and outer plates 15 with aninterposed felt disk 15", the assembly being bolted together as at 15.The upper disk 15 may be formed integral with the bell-crank 1 1, asshown.

In order to elevate the outlet pipe 7 to position its mouth the desireddistance above the B. S. level a strap metal rod 16 is provided havingits curved end 16 pivot-ed upon the lower clamp bolt 11 and between thelower parallel portion of support 9 and clamp 10. The upper end of rod16 is provided with a series of spaced apertures 16 which are preterably spaced equi-distant from each other,- for instance one inch. Therod 16 extends up through a slot in a circular disk 17 which is boltedagainst the under surface of the upper end 18 of. the tank as indicatedat 19. The bolts 19 also serve to secure in place, the centrallyapertured plate 20, in whose neck 20 may be secured the bull plug 21which latter may be used when it is desired to make the tank gas tight.The use of the bull plug 21 is optional, of course.

Upon the plate 17 the right angular strap 22 is bolted as indicated at23 so that its upstanding portion will lie substantially flush with theupper end of rod 16. -A pin 24 carried by the metal strap 22 may belocated in any one of the aperatures 16 to hold the mouth 7 of theoutlet pipe the required distance above the B. S. level,whatever thatmaybe.

The purpose of the closure 15 for the mouth of the pipe 7 is to preventany B. S. from accumulating in pipe 7 before the same is elevated to therequired level.

The closure 15 may be closed by means of a chain or other flexibleconnection 25 which is connected to the aperture of the upper bellcranklever arm by means of a spring 26. At the upper end of the chain 25 is ahook 27, the chain being passed through a hole 28 in the tank top sothat the hook can be engaged over the pin 2 of the right angular metalstrap 22. When the hook 27 is engaged with pin 2 the valve or closure 15will be closed. It will be understood, of course, that spring 26 willnecessarily be considerably stronger than spring 13. Also the chain 25or the hook 27 will necessarily have to have a laterally projectingelement to prevent the hook from slipping down through the hole 28through which the chain passes. In the present form of the invention asshown,-the hook 27 is of such size as to prevent its passage through thehole 28.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a tank or the like having an outlet, an adjustable outlet piperotatably mounted in said outlet and extending vinto said tank, a prophaving a semi-circular portion adjacent one end, a clamp cooperatingwith the semicircular portion of said prop to embrace said outlet pipewhereby the prop will support said pipe in a predetermined position, anarm pivoted between said prop and clamp and ex- ;tending upwardlythrough the top of said tank, means associated with said arm and tankfor holding the pipe in a predetermined elevated position, a closure forthe mouth of said outlet pipe, a lever pivotedly carried in part by saidclamp and in part by said prop and to which said closure is securedwhereby the same can be moved to and from operative position, springmeans in part carried by said clamp and in part by said prop fornormally tending to maintain such closure open, and a connectionattached to said lever and extending up through the top of said tankwhereby said closure can be operated.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1,- and said connection beingengageable with said tank and arm associated means for maintaining theclosure shut against the action of said spring.

3. The combination set forth in claim 1, and transverse ribs formed onthe sides of said outlet pipe and engaging the edges of said clamp andprop to prevent axial movement of the same, and an axial rib formed uponsaid pipe and disposed between the ends of said clamp and prop toprevent rotation of the prop upon said pipe.

4. In a tank or the like having an outlet, a substantially L-shapedoutlet pipe having a short branch rotatably mounted in registry withsaid outlet and having another branch extending laterally within thetank, the last mentioned branch having an intermediate downward offsetand an upturned mouth, the said downward offset being arranged so thatthe edge of said mouth will be alined in a plane with the bottom of thetank outlet, and a prop carried by said outlet pipe and adapt- -ed toengage the bottom of said tank to pre-.v

vent lowering of said pipe below the plane of said tank outlet.

5. The combination set forth in claim. f, and means operable for raisingand ma1ntaining the mouth of said outlet pipe a predetermined distanceabove the tank outlet.

6. The combination set forth in claim 4,+ and attaching means for saidprop and in plane of said" part formed by the same, means operable forraising and maintaining the mouth of said outlet pipe a predetermineddistance above the plane of said tank outlet, and said outlet piperaising means being in part carried by said prop attaching means.

7. In a tank or the like having an outlet, a substantially L-shapedoutlet pipe having a short branch rotatably mounted in registry withsaid outlet and having another branch extending laterally within thetank, a prop carried by said outlet pipe and adapted to engage thebottom of said tank to prevent lowering of'said pipe below the plane ofsaid tank outlet, a lever pivotedly connected to said prop at one sideof said outlet pipe and .operable through the top of said tank for oneend and'an inlet mouth at the other end,

an attaching plate having a hole therethrough and an offset inturnedflange said outlet pipe being insertable through said fitting orattaching "plate, a washer confined within said attaching plate andbetween its flange and the flange of said pipe whereby to effect a sealand permit rotation of said outlet pipe, the bolting of said attachingplate to the wall of said tank serving to compress said washer betweensaid flanges, and means for controlling the movement of said outletpipe.

9. The combination set forth in claim 8,- and' a prop carried by saidoutlet pipe for preventing the lowering movement of the mouth thereofbelow said attaching plate hole.

10. An outlet pipe for tanks comprising an angular pipe section having acircumferential flange at one end, an attachin plate havin a holetherethrough and an 0 set inturne flange, said outlet pipe beinginsertable through said fitting or attaching plate, a washer confinedwithin said attaching plate and between its flange and the flange ofsaid pipe whereby to effect a seal and permit rotation of said outletpipe, the bolting of said attaching plate to the wall of said tankserving to compress sa-id washer between said flanges, means forcontrolling the movement of said outlet pipe, and a prop carried by saidoutlet pipe for limiting the movement of the same in one direction, aclosure for the mouth of said outlet pipe, and said closure beingswingingly carried by said prop, said closure having operating meansaccessible from opening, a swingable outlet pipe within the tank andcommunicating with said opening, prop means carried by th outlet pipeand engageable with the tank bottom for preventing movement of the inletend thereof below the plane of said outlet opening, means for actuatingsaid outlet pipe and maintaining the same in different predeterminedpositions, and said actuating means being connected to said prop means.

12. In combination with a tank wall outlet opening, a swingable outletpipe Within the tank and communicating with said opening, limiting meansin part carried by said outlet pipe for preventing movement of the inletmaie'? WELLINGTON S. MONTGOJSLERY.

